Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, March 14, 2020

10

 Mountain Views News Saturday, March 14, 2020 


STUART TOLCHIN

PRIVILEGE AND EQUALITY

MOUNTAIN 
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LaQuetta Shamblee

 
There has never been a time when I felt so unsafe in America! 
I just learned that the Commissioner has cancelled the whole NBA 
season; at least that was what my wife just told me. Can you imagine 
such a thing? Even in the worst times we had televised sports to fall back 
on. Wait a minute! As I write this I seem to remember a time when I 
thought that the President was trying to kill me by sending me to Viet 
Nam and certain death. This fear was what urged me to go to Graduate 
School and become a lawyer. While in Law School I became involved 
with projects to help minority kids and to work with the Lawyer’s Guild 
to assist potential draftees avoid the draft. As I think back about it now 
those potential draftees were all educated White kids like me who were 
savvy enough to go to lawyers for help. Most of those guys, much like me, avoided the draft 
by becoming Conscientious Objectors or obtaining favorable medical evaluations that gave 
reason for draft ineligibility, (I do not recall anyone obtaining a note which excluded them 
from Service because of bone spurs but I do recall some guys being excluded because of flat 
feet). 

 During this entire time I firmly believed that Lyndon Johnson was trying to kill me 
and all my friends by sending us off to certain death in Viet Nam. Much as I hated LBJ 
then I realize now, fifty years later, that he was the most effective Democratic President of 
my lifetime. It’s more than the passage of the Civil Rights Act—he actually got things done. 
Perhaps that ability to work with the Legislature was honed during his time in Congress 
and as Majority Leader in the Senate. It is odd but I don’t think that during my 75 years 
has another highly experienced person who was a leader in the Senate become President. 
Many of the Presidents were Governors and the few that were Senators like Harry Truman, 
John F. Kennedy, and Barak Obama were basically single term Senators. Yes, I know both 
Sanders and Biden spent a lot of time in the Senate but as yet they are not President (though 
I wish they were) but neither of them was particularly good at getting legislation passed.

 I guess what I’m saying is that for the most part American Presidents lacked the 
experience to get much done even if they tried very hard. Jimmy Carter, ex-Governor 
Jimmy Carter, is an example of a good man that didn’t get very much positive done. It is my 
belief that former Presidents, notwithstanding their particular politics, all did their best to 
protect ME. Yes, I know this protection did not extend to African Americans, Hispanics, 
Women, immigrants, or the poor. I admit that I was privileged not to belong to these 
classes even though I seldom thought of myself as being privileged. Perhaps I am a “latte 
liberal” even though I don’t usually drink lattes. 

In any case, I don’t feel like that privilege exists now. Now we are all, including Tom Hanks 
and his wife, living in a time of equality. Unfortunately, it is an equality that means we are 
all subject to the coronavirus at a time when it is difficult to believe that this particular 
President is truly concerned about our welfare. Just a little while ago I saw him reading 
his speech in the Oval Office in which he seemed much more concerned about finances 
over and above the welfare of the population. First we need truth and second we need full 
testing like the testing done in South Korea. Perhaps it is only that the President and his 
main advisors are inexperienced and/or incompetent. Maybe there is some corruption 
or maybe the President is only concerned in terms of his own re-election, or maybe he is 
incapable of caring.

Well, since I am in the category of people described as the most vulnerable being 75 years 
of age, with diabetes, a previous heart attack and a present heart condition along with high 
blood pressure I need not look at myself as particularly safe or privileged. Looking back 
on the 60’s I realize that Law School set me on a path where I developed ideals which have 
guided me through life. I hope that in 10 years I can reflect back and realize that benefits 
and insights were gained from this present experience. That is a potential privilege that I 
hope we will all equally be able to enjoy.

Did I really chant, “Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?”


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LEFT/RIGHT/OR IN THE MIDDLELEFT/RIGHT/OR IN THE MIDDLE

AS CORONAVIRUS 
SPREADS, TRUMP 
SHOWING HOW UNFIT 
HE IS TO LEAD

I’ve been reading Erik Larson’s new book, “The Splendid 
and the Vile,” which chronicles the first year of 
Winston Churchill’s wartime stint as prime minister. 
He was a gifted rhetorician who used the power of 
words to move a nation. He combined grim candor 
with upbeat inspiration: “It would be foolish to disguise 
the gravity of the hour. It would be still more 
foolish to lose heart and courage.”

What we’re saddled with today is precisely the opposite. 
Not Churchill at his best, but vaudeville at its worst.

Did you happen to catch Trump’s act Wednesday night in the Oval Office? 
Noth-ing could be more clownish than hearing a fake president confront 
America’s dark hour by screwing up three policy pronouncements in 10 
minutes. Either his hapless handlers loaded errors onto his TelePrompter, 
or, just as likely, this guy read the text wrong because he had no clue what 
he was reading.

And the way he read the text… as we know, inspiring fellow Americans 
is cer-tainly not Trump’s metier. He looked like a drugged sullen schoolboy 
serving de-tention, forced to write “I will behave” on a blackboard. But 
never mind that. His fake facts were worse.

For instance, while announcing a xenophobic travel ban between America 
and Europe (to supposedly fight a “foreign” virus that’s already here), he said 
“these prohibitions will not only apply to the tremendous amount of trade 
and cargo, but various other things as we get approval.” What? No more 
trade? No more cargo imports? The Trump regime subsequently said that, 
oops, his travel ban does not apply to trade and cargo.

During his address, Trump also made it sound like his ban would prevent 
travel-ing U.S. citizens from returning to their country – with the exception 
of those cit-izens who’ve undergone “appropriate screenings.” The Trump 
regime subse-quently said that, oops, his ban exempts all U.S. citizens, it’s 
mostly intended to target certain foreign nationals.

And during his address, Trump announced a major breakthrough with 
health in-surers: “I met with the leaders of the health insurance industry 
who have agreed to waive all co-payments for coronavirus treatments.” 
Turns out, that was bull. A spokesman for the health insurance lobby later 
said that insurers will only waive “for testing. Not for treatment.”

Even worse was what he didn’t say at all. Amidst all his patriotic breast-beating, 
he never mentioned that the United States isn’t mass-testing its citizens 
the way other countries are, much less tried to explain the reasons for our 
poor prepar-edness. That he would never do, of course, because that would 
require owning up to his manifest failures.

Which brings us to his most notable omission: His three-year mission to 
hollow out the federal offices and agencies that are most needed now. “Acting” 
Trump flunkies – as opposed to Senate-confirmed experts – have been 
installed in key health and science posts at Homeland Security, the State 
Department, the Trans-portation Department, USAID, and the National 
Science Foundation. Trump’s proposed Centers for Disease Control budget 
cuts are still on the table. And worst of all, of course, was his 2018 decision 
to erase the global health response team that was created by President 
Obama.

Trump, last week, was asked why he fired all those people. This was his re-
sponse: “Well, I just don’t think – I just don’t think that somebody is going 
to – without seeing something, like we saw happening in China. As soon 
as they saw that happening, they essentially – not from the White House. 
I mean, you know, we don’t need a lab in the White House… Who would 
have thought we would even be having the subject?” And this guy thinks 
Joe Biden is incoherent.

Twenty-fifth amendment, anyone? What more evidence of his unfitness 
does an-yone need? Watching him address the nation, you could almost 
smell the flop sweat.

Gary Kasparov, the celebrated Russian dissident now living in America, said 
it best last night in a tweet: “Trump is afraid not because Americans will die, 
or be-cause the economy is tanking, but because he’s accountable at last, 
exposed as the fraud he’s been his entire life.”

And in some celestial realm, Winston Churchill, who had the good fortune 
to deal with FDR, is marveling how we’ve fallen so far.

DICK POLMAN

2020: THE YEAR OF FREE MARKET WOMEN By Lisa B. Nelson 

Only 15 miles from ALEC headquarters in Arlingto
n, Virginia lies a relic of a by-gone era: the 
Lorton Workhouse and Reformatory. Originally 
built in 1910 by the very prisoners it would house, 
shortly after its opening it became the home of 
the Silent Sentinels – women who stood in front 
of the White House six days a week, silently protesting; 
demanding the right to vote. 

Surely one of the earliest suffragists, Susan B. 
Anthony said it best: “No self-respecting woman 
should wish or work for the success of a party that 
ignores her sex.” A banner emblazoned with this 
quote was displayed at the 1920 Re-publican National 
Convention in Chicago by suffragist leaders 
Mrs. James Rector, Mary Dubrow and Alice 
Paul. 

In Women’s History Month, 100 years after women were granted the franchise, we’ve 
come a long way. But, we’ve a long way to go.

The right to vote is important for the equality of all citizens. Representation at the ballot 
box was an important step. But, 100 years later, representation in elected office remains 
the next milestone.

During the 2018 midterm elections, the public was promised a change in the leg-islature; 
it was going to be the “year of the women.” Droves of voters submitted their ballot 
in support of the record-breaking number of female candidates, and Americans across 
the states celebrated when 102 women were elected in the House and 14 women were 
elected in the Senate.

The country patted itself on the back – but not all Americans felt the celebratory spirit. 
In the midst of an election where the “women’s movement” was heavily associated with 
victimization and the issues used to enable this attitude, one voice was left unheard: the 
voice of the market-minded, conservative woman. 

As the women of the Democratic Party gained 18 House seats, bringing the num-ber 
to 80, Republican women watched their representation fall from 22 to 13 seats in the 
House. In the state legislatures only 29 percent of seats are held by women. Of those 
seats, Republican women hold less than half. 

It’s clear: 2018 was not the year of all women. But the future for market-minded, female 
representation is not bleak. According to the Center for American Women in Politics, 
170 Republican women and 348 Democratic women have filed or are considered strong 
potential candidates for the House – nearly tripling the num-ber of Republican women 
that ran in the 2018 cycle. These free market women are not running on the mindset of 
victimization, and they are ready to step up to the plate and break records.

And what of our responsibility – the conservative women ready to see principled representation 
for the unique voice we offer? It is time for free market women to support free 
market women. It’s time to take back our perspective on the wom-en’s movement and 
reestablish that it does not belong to a party. All issues are nonpartisan, and all issues are 
women’s issues.

Think of the suffragettes that risked it all a century before. Think of the women of today 
in the Middle East who still need permission to vote from their hus-bands or fathers. 
Think of the women in countries like Uganda and Kenya who face violent protests at the 
polls and put themselves at risk to merely exercise their rights. They do not see themselves 
as victims ,’ they continue to fight against the oppression because they know their 
voice is valuable.

How lucky we are in the United States to be able to put our voice into action at the voting 
booths. But it’s not luck; it was the work of the thousands of women and allies that fought 
tirelessly against the current for years. While long overdue, the 19th Amendment gave 
us that right, and now it is time to use it intentionally. We – the previously underrepresented 
women of free-market principles – must exercise our right and elect the women 
we know to be natural leaders and pro-tectors of community and liberty. 

Support the leaders that will show compassion and empathy, compromise, hon-esty, ethical 
decision-making and, most importantly, the leaders who will stand strong on what 
they believe in. Cast your vote to the women that value free en-terprise and individual 
liberty, and who want to see a thriving economy for our children and our children’s 
children. 

2018 can have “year of the women.” 2020 will be the year of the “market-minded” women.

Lisa B. Nelson is the chief executive office of the American Legislative Exchange Council, 
an organization bringing state legislators and stakeholders together to develop public 
policy beneficial to the free market and individual liberty.


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Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com